The Gambia government has dismissed rumours spreading on social media and other places suggesting the imminent return of former President Yahya Jammeh. In recent days, the country has been gripped by rumours that the former president was spotted in Guinea and was heading to The Gambia. The Standard confirmed from sources that his supporters have started cleaning his Kanilai home and farm anticipating his return.
But in a strongly worded statement, the Spokesman of the Gambia Government Ebrima Sankareh said:
“It has yet again come to the attention of The Gambia Government that false reports and insinuations predicting the imminent return of former President Jammeh are being amplified by some news and social media outlets.
Significantly, these baseless reports have provoked anxiety and tension among members of the public. Equally, the misinformation has given rise to acts of deception particularly, among supporters of the former President, who have been terribly misled to believe in these fairytales over the purported imminent return of former President Yahya Jammeh.
The public is reminded that former President Jammeh’s asylum in Equatorial Guinea is an ECOWAS/AU arrangement. Under these arranged diplomatic circumstances, the host country is obligated to ensure that the former President remains in Equatorial Guinea until agreed and decided otherwise by the parties in consultation with The Gambia Government.
The Gambia Government hereby assures the public, members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps, that Mr. Yahya Jammeh remains in Equatorial Guinea and rumors of his recent flight to Guinea Conakry as well as his planned return to The Gambia are meritless tales being peddled by detractors.
In the same vein, The Gambia Government urges those detractors to desist from rumor mongering and spreading of false information calculated to cause public anxiety and undue alarm.”
